About

Making it R.E.A.L. Real-world Education Accelerates Learning

As an art educator it is my goal to use real-world projects to accelerate student learning and to connect them with future career choices. When students can make connections with how their learning applies to the real-world we begin as teachers to make it r.e.a.l. for them. Real-World Education Accelerates Learning
I hope that browsing my web site will benefit your own teaching methodology and inspire your project planning.

You may contact me at vandyke.rachael@gmail.com

Most of the student projects you will view stem from the concept of project-based learning. You can read more about various theories I apply under the Theory tab. Project-based learning is organized around projects that provide real-world context and framework for learning. Real-world experiences enhance problem-solving skills, critical thinking, collaborative and leadership skills, and aid in personal student empowerment (Gonzales & Nelson, 2005).

Research from Thomas, as cited in Gonzales & Nelson shows that project–based learning provides: